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Architecture Medal for Virginia Service

The Architecture Medal for Virginia Service is the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia AIA to a citizen of Virginia who is not eligible to be an architect and is intended to recognize persons who have made significant contributions to architecture and the built environment. Only one medal may be bestowed each year, but may be simultaneously given to more than one person.

Potential honorees include (but aren’t limited to):

Artisans/Craftsmen
Authors
Civic Activists
Code Officials
Educators
Lawyers
Legislators and Politicians
Planners and Developers
Philanthropists
Preservationists, Archivists, and Researchers

Submission Materials
  • Nomination form
  • A complete vita or history (if an organization)
  • A nominator’s statement, of no more than one page, addressing how the nominee meets the evaluative criteria
  • Supporting materials and images, where appropriate
  • At least three letters of support

Submissions should be no larger than 15MB and no more than 20 pages long (not including letters of support).

Past Recipients
  • 1984 Carlisle Humelsine, Chairman of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
  • 1985 Leslie Cheek, Jr., former Director, Virginia Museum, Richmond
  • 1986 Sidney and Frances Lewis, Best Products Co., Inc., Richmond
  • Paul and Rachel Mellon, Upperville
  • 1987 David P. Reynolds, Chairman of the Board, Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond
  • 1989 Ronald B. Carrier Ph.D., President, James Madison University, Harrisonburg
  • 1990 Gerald L. Baliles, Former Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia; Jeannie C. Baliles
  • 1991 Mary Tyler Cheek McClenahan, civic activist, Richmond
  • 1992 Noel C. Taylor, former Mayor, City of Roanoke
  • 1993 Daniel P. Jordan, Executive Director, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Charlottesville
  • 1994 Robert E. Simon, Reston, Developer of Reston
  • 1995 Jean R. Packard, Civic Activist, Fairfax
  • 1996 Clinton Webb, Historic Preservationist and Philanthropist, Richmond
  • 1997 Ambassador Walter L. Rice and Inger Rice
  • 1998 Lee Stuart Cochran, Staunton
  • 1999 Charles R. Longsworth, Colonial Williamsburg
  • 2000 Mary Lily Wiley, Middleburg
  • 2001 Lora M. Robins, Richmond
  • 2004 John T. Casteen III, Charlottesville
  • 2006 John W. Braymer, Ph.D., Hon. AIA, Richmond
  • 2007 Tony P. Wrenn, Hon. AIA, Danville
  • 2008 Charles F. Bryan, Jr., Ph.D., Richmond
  • 2010 Hunter J. Smith and the late Carl W. Smith, Charlottesville
  • 2011 Travis Cleveland McDonald, Jr., Forest
  • 2012 The Dominion Foundation, Richmond
  • 2013 Stanley and Dorothy Pauley
  • 2014 Kathleen S. Kilpatrick
  • 2015 Robert S. and James E. Ukrop
  • 2016 Jaan Holt
  • 2017 Calder C. Loth
  • 2018 Reginald N. Jones, Esq.
  • 2020 Virginia Beach City Public Schools
  • 2021 Alex Nyerges
  • 2022 Storefront for Community Design